


Recuperating with Shepard

by SmokeysWife



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Destroy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Post-Game(s), Post-War, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-14 01:41:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17499206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmokeysWife/pseuds/SmokeysWife
Summary: A fluffy piece from Major Coats' POV on his recuperation following the end of the Reaper war and the role of a certain Commander. Because there's not enough Major Coats love.





	Recuperating with Shepard

**Author's Note:**

> My very first fan fic (or at least the first I've shared!) I very rarely write smut so this was an experiment. Constructive feedback is welcomed:)
> 
>  
> 
> This was purely for fun and no profit or commercial gain will be derived from it. All characters etc are the property of Bioware. Thank you for continuing to let us play in your sand pit!

Coats lay on his bed in the empty hospital room, the only sound the soft beep of the heart monitor and the gentle whirr of the machines at his bedside. It seemed surreal after so many months fighting, eating and sleeping against the backdrop of war. He almost missed the sound of gunfire in the distance; it had become comforting over the past few months. If it was in the distance, it wasn’t here yet.

But now the war was over, or so they said. His shuttle had been hit by a Reaper blast as his squad retreated from the beam and he had woken up here. The doctors had been surprised when he’d regained consciousness; apparently it had been touch and go. A brain haemorrhage meant that, at the very least, he’d be learning how to walk all over again and his continued presence in one of the ICUs of the military hospital told him he wasn’t out of danger yet. Still, he’d been lucky.

Raised voices reached him from the corridor, and he looked up in interest as the door crashed open and an ICU nurse entered, pushing a gurney. He was accompanied by half a dozen armed marines and Dr Foster, who looked none to happy about the situation.

“Out,” she instructed them, with an imperious gesture towards the door. “I may have agreed to the armed guard at the door, but I’ll not have you disrupting my other patients. Wait outside.”

The squad leader looked as though he might argue, but instead did a smart salute and turned on his heel. Coats could see them lining up on either side of the door in the corridor. Whoever his new room-mate was, they were important. Curiosity piqued, he shifted his head so that he could look at the patient on the gurney. The side of their face that he could see was heavily bandaged.

“Why all the fuss?” the nurse asked Foster quietly. The doctor shook her head.

“You don’t know who this is?” she asked, hooking the patient up to the machines and taking a note of the vitals.

The nurse frowned and shook his head. “I assumed some big wig in the Alliance.”

Dr Foster let out a harsh laugh.

“She’s the reason there still is an Alliance.” She released her patient’s wrist and took a step back. “Let’s hope we can achieve the impossible, the galaxy owes her.”

“You mean…?”

“Commander Jane Shepard. Saviour of the galaxy.”

 

Coats was woken later that night by soft murmuring in the room. Opening his eyes a crack, he could make out a man in Admiral’s stripes talking to the doctor by the door. Hackett, he thought after a moment. The man was recognisable anywhere. From the sound of the conversation, Hackett didn’t like what he was hearing. After a few moments, the Admiral let out a large sigh, and dismissed the doctor, moving over to the bed where Shepard lay.

“Hell of a thing you did up there, Commander,” he said, softly. In the dim light cast by the machines, Coats thought the Admiral looked more haggard than he had the last time he saw him. Coats was just about to drift off when the man spoke again. “Thought you’d like to know we got news from the Normandy. Crew’s all fine, but they ended up a couple of systems over. With the mass relays out, it’s going to take them a few months to get home but they’ll be here.”

Hackett ran a tired hand over his face and stood up.

“We need you back on your feet, Commander. That’s an order.”

He turned and left the room without another word, and it wasn’t long until Coats slipped into unconsciousness again.

 

When he woke next it was almost light. Turning to look at the figure lying in the next bed, he was surprised to be met by a pair of piercing green eyes.

“Coats?” she rasped, her voice hoarse.

“Shepard,” he said, nodding in acknowledgment. “Glad you made it.”

The half of her mouth that was visible beneath the bandages twitched upwards.

“Thought… Thought I hadn’t,” she managed. Her eyes closed momentarily as though in pain, and he reached to press the button for the nurse. Her eyes fluttered open again, and she looked at him, her gaze flickering to the call button in his hand.

“Snitch,” she murmured. Coats gave her a grin, a weight lifting from him as he realised she was probably going to be okay.

 

Shepard hovered in and out of consciousness for the next few days. When she was awake, the drugs they had her on made her barely lucid. When she was asleep… The first time she’d woken him, Coats hadn’t realised she was dreaming. She mumbled in her sleep, clearly reliving some horrific memory or other. He’d tried to wake her by calling her name, but in the end had resorted to calling the nurse. He’d come in and upped the sedatives she was on until she quietened, but Coats was left with a deep unease.

The next time it happened, he pushed himself to the edge of the bed, leaning out as far as he could reach until he could just touch her hand. The gentle contact was enough to wake her and she turned to him, her eyes blinking in the dim light.

“You were having a bad dream,” he said, withdrawing his hand. She nodded carefully, her eyes glistening.

“Thank you,” she murmured, turning her gaze back to the ceiling. Coats had the suspicion that she didn’t fall asleep again for some time.

 

“What happened?”

Coats turned in surprise at the sound of her voice. It was the first time she had spoken lucidly in more than a day. He frowned, not sure what she was asking.

“What can you remember?” he asked, hedging his bets. She gave a small grimace. The nurse had redressed her bandages while she slept and more of her face was visible now. There was a ragged slash across her right cheek that was currently bound together by omnigel, and she had deep bruises under her eyes.

“I didn’t mean… What happened down here?” she asked. “After I… After I took the beam.”

Coats frowned.

“I don’t know much myself. I remember ordering the retreat when it looked like no one had been successful. A minute or so later my shuttle got hit, and then I woke up here.” He hesitated before he continued. “Hackett was in here, the night you first came in. Overheard him telling you the Normandy made it. They got stranded a few systems out but they’re on their way.”

Her shoulders seemed to sag in relief and she gave him a grateful smile.

“Is it bad?” she asked, gesturing feebly with a hand towards his charts.

“I’m alive,” he said. “Had a brain haemorrhage when I arrived. Going to have to learn how to walk again.”

“You and me both,” she said, with another grimace. He raised his eyebrows and she continued, “When Cerberus… when they rebuilt me, they used a lot of cybernetics. A lot of them got fried along with the Reapers when I used the crucible.”

A pained look passed across her face that Coats recognised all too easily.

“You’re not regretting it?” he asked in disbelief. She shook her head almost immediately.

“No! It’s just… EDI, the Geth… They’re all gone too. I… I’ll have to live with that.” Her voice tailed off and she rolled over to look at the ceiling. Coats was amazed to see liquid gathering in the corner of her eye.

“Commander…” he began awkwardly. She blinked, wiping a hand across her face, and turned back to face him.

“How bad is it?” she asked. He frowned and she elaborated, “the situation on Earth, across the galaxy. How bad is it?”

“We survived,” he said. “I haven’t had much intel being stuck in here, but it sounds as though no one really knows yet. The mass relays are down, but the Alliance seems to think they can be repaired. The nurse was telling me they’ve had a lot of biotics in with problems, but they can be fixed as well. The only real problems are with the VIs.”

He paused before adding, “We’ve lost a lot of people, Commander. Trillions across the galaxy. A lot of planets have suffered a lot of damage but… thanks to you, we survived. We can rebuild.”

 

Hackett came to see her a couple of days later. At first, he had seemed reluctant to talk in front of Coats, but Shepard had put a stop to that.

“Major Coats has as much right as I do to hear this, Sir.”

The admiral had frowned for a moment before nodding.

“My apologies, Major. My sources tell me that were it not for your efforts we might have lost London.”

Coats flushed, inclining his head in recognition. Hackett sat down next to Shepard but addressed the two of them as he filled them in on the latest news that had filtered through from the galaxy.

“I should also tell you, Commander, that the Alliance have formally dropped all charges against you. Recent events have put beyond all doubt that your actions with the batarian relay not only delayed the reapers arrival, but also gave us the time we needed to build the crucible.”

Coats refrained from shaking his head in disbelief. How could anyone have ever thought otherwise? 

“Thank you, sir,” Shepard said, her voice neutral.

“The council have also asked me to inform you that a monument will be erected in your honour at the new council headquarters.” Shepard grimaced and Hackett let out a loud laugh. “I told them you’d be honoured. They’ll be expecting you at the unveiling ceremony, but it’s likely to be a year or so yet.”

Shepard said nothing. Coats had the feeling she was resisting rolling her eyes with difficulty and had to fight back a sudden bubble of laughter. Hackett stood.

“You’ll obviously be up for promotion after this. Both of you,” he added, glancing at Coats, who felt himself flush.”

“Thank you, Sir,” he murmured. Hackett nodded his acknowledgement, before turning back to Shepard.

“Vice Admiral Shepard sends her love and says she should be back on Earth within the month. Oh, and we had word from the Normandy two days ago. They should be back in the Sol system within a couple of months.”

Shepard grinned at that. “Thank you, sir.”

They both saluted and watched as Hackett left the room. Coats turned to look at Shepard who was still smiling softly to herself.

 

“Perhaps we should call that a day,” the physio said.

“Not yet.”

“Commander…”

“I said not yet.”

Coats hid a smile at the fierce determination in Shepard’s voice. They had been moved out of their room in ICU several weeks ago and were now housed in a rehabilitation centre just outside London. Coats hadn’t analysed the relief he’d felt when he’d realised they were headed for the same location. As it was, they had even remained neighbours. They also had joint physio sessions, the doctor having decided that a little light competition spurred both of them that little bit harder.

Not that Coats had much chance of winning, he reflected ruefully, as he watched Shepard take another shaky step forward without aid. He knew what was driving her today; Hackett had sent word that the Normandy would be arriving at Earth in less than a fortnight and   
Shepard was determined not to meet her crew in a wheelchair.

He jolted out of his reverie as he realised that she was calling him.

“Come along, soldier. What’s keeping you?” she asked from her position twenty feet away. He sighed and pushed himself unsteadily to his feet. Gritting his teeth and focusing on her face he took one shuffling step forward, and then another. When he was two thirds of the way there, he felt the strength go out of him, and he almost sagged.

“Don’t you dare give up on me, Coats,” she murmured, her eyes flashing. “We’re doing this together.”

He straightened his back and took another step, and then another, until finally he reached where she was standing. Her eyes were sparkling as she threw her arms around his neck, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.

“You did it!” she said, pulling away far too quickly for his liking. Coats brushed away the feeling, matching her grin.

“We did it, Commander.”

She rolled her eyes. “Coats, I think you’ve more than earned the right to call me Shepard, don’t you?”

 

“You’re still getting the dreams, aren’t you?”

Shepard looked up sharply from where she was reading. She looked as though she might argue, but instead she simply sighed.

“Did I wake you last night?” she asked, lowering the pad. 

“They’re thin walls,” Coats said, almost apologetically.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her cheeks flushing slightly. Coats pushed himself up and staggered over to sit next to her.

“You don’t need to apologise,” he said, taking her hand. “I just… Do you want to talk about it?”

She bowed her head, her dark red hair obscuring her face for a moment.

“Is it… Is it what happened? Up in the crucible?”

“Sometimes,” she murmured. “Not… not often.”

“Then what…?”

She took a steadying breath before turning to face him, tucking her hair behind one ear as she did so.

“You know my history?” she asked. “The… the destruction of the SR1. Cerberus?”

He nodded, unsure where this is going.

“When Harbinger… When the SR1 was destroyed, I was spaced. I… My oxygen tube came detached and I… suffocated.” She ducked her head again, “Cerberus retrieved my body and… rebuilt me.”

Coats blinked.

“Your body? But I thought…”

She gave him a sad smile.

“Most people assumed Cerberus found me near death, brought me back to life. That… wasn’t quite the case.” She swallowed hard, her gaze worried as she met his. “I died, Coats. They brought me back.”

“But… You’re sure?”

She let out a humourless chuckle. “I was caught in the gravity field of the nearest planet. When I re-entered the atmosphere, I burned up. If I wasn’t dead before that, I sure as hell wasn’t living by the time I hit the surface. It took Cerberus a little while to find me as well.

“It… took me a long time to come to terms with it. I… Most of the time I feel like I’m still me, still Shepard but…” she looked away, avoiding his gaze, but Coats caught her chin with his hand, pulling her gently back up to face him.

“You are still you.”

She blinked as her eyes filled with tears and he pulled her into a hug. After a momentary hesitation she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight.

“I remember dying,” she mumbled into his shoulder. “The dreams… I dream I’m drifting in space again. Suffocating. They… they got better for a little while. But…”

Coats felt something twist in his chest and he tightened his hold on her, gently stroking her hair as she breathed deeply into his shoulder, her breath warm on his neck.

“Is there anything I can do?” he asked, after several long minutes. She extricated herself from him gently, sitting back and wiping her eyes with a shaky smile.

“You’ve done enough, but thank you.”

“What if I called you? On my omnitool. You know, if I hear you having a bad dream?”

She looked at him curiously for a moment or two, before nodding.

“I’d like that.”

 

Coats glanced at Shepard where she stood, waiting at the docking station. Her fingers were nervously drumming on the metal railing and her eyes were searching the sky. He covered her hand with his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“They’ll be here,” he said. She gave him a soft smile, before letting out a little squeal.

“There she is!”

His gaze followed the direction of her hand and watched as the most advance ship in the Alliance fleet slowly approached the dock. He risked a glance at Shepard; it had been more than two months since the Reapers had been destroyed and her bruises had cleared up, the gash on her face now a vivid red scar that would fade with time but probably never heal completely. Her green eyes glittered with excitement as she met his gaze.

“C’mon” she said, tugging at his hand and grabbing at her crutches as she hobbled along to the gangplank. He smiled fondly after her and followed suit, joining her at the gate. The marines on guard saluted sharply as they recognised the senior officers and stepped aside to let them through. Shepard was practically jiggling from one foot to another as the air lock doors hissed open, and a Major in Alliance uniform stepped out, looking around. When he caught sight of Shepard, his mouth broke into a massive grin and he jogged down the gangplank and caught her in his arms, swinging her around. Coats felt something painful snap within his chest, as Shepard buried her face in the crook of the man’s neck and sobbed in relief.

 

He was sat at the bar in the mess, watching as Shepard caught up with her crew. He’d never seen her so alive and happy, but he couldn’t help feeling a little resentful. Dreams he hadn’t even known he’d been harbouring had been shattered as he watched her laughing with Alenko and the pilot… Joker? He barely noticed the turian sit down next to him until he spoke.

“Major Coats, isn’t it?” He turned in surprise and took the proferred hand. “I doubt you remember me. Garrus Vakarian, we met during the final push in London.”

Coats nodded and forced a smile.

“How could I forget! Didn’t Shepard have to arrange an emergency evac for you on your push to the beam?”

“Heard about that huh? Yeah, I was lucky. Looks like you took a bit of beating yourself, although Shepard tells me you’re recovering well.”

Coats felt his guts twist. She’d talked about him?

“As is she. Almost dead when they brought her in. She’s quite a woman.”

The turian looked at him quizzically for a moment, his mandible twitching in what could have been a half smile.

“That she is,” he said eventually, taking a sip of dextro beer. He paused before continuing, “They’re not together, you know? Kaidan and the Commander.”

Coats kept his face carefully impassive as he took a sip of his own drink.

“Oh? I thought they were close.”

“Oh, they are. He’s like a brother to her. They’ve been through a lot.” Garrus let out a low chuckle. “I think Kaidan might have wanted more, but she’s never shown him any special treatment. She’s no closer to him than she is to me, or Tali, or Liara.”

“So, she’s not…”

“Not that I’m aware of. She’s never shown any interest in anyone since I’ve known her, although I get the impression that may have changed recently.” Garrus blue eyes pinned Coats’ for a moment, before the turian turned away, taking another sip of his drink. “You’d probably know more about that than me though.”

He pushed himself away from the bar and took a step back into the room, before turning back to Coats.

“Oh, and Major? It goes without saying, that if you hurt her…”

The threat hung in the air and Coats nodded sharply, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to process what the turian had just told him. Garrus raised his bottle in salute and walked over to join the quarian chatting with the asari in the corner. Shepard caught the movement, her eyes tracking his trajectory from the bar where she noticed Coats. She grinned at him and gave a little wave and he felt himself responding in kind before he had time to think.

 

“It’s quite something, meeting the crew of the Normandy,” Coats said as he and Shepard made their way slowly back up to their rooms, crutches clacking softly on the floor. Shepard let out a low laugh.

“I hear we’ve built up quite a reputation among the ranks,” she said, looking at him sideways.

“You could say that. I have to say, they appear to live up to it.”

“You haven’t met them all yet. Grunt will be back on Tuchanka of course. I haven’t managed to find out if Wrex got back safely.”

He brushed his shoulder gently against hers.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“I hope so.”

They hobbled in silence until they reached the elevator.

“I had a chat with your turian friend, Garrus? He seems like a decent enough bloke.”

“He is,” Shepard said, smiling fondly as she followed him into the lift and turned to face the doors. “He and Tali were with me from the beginning. Kaidan and Liara too, although…”

She broke off, shaking her head. “I owe all of them with my life several times over.”

“That’s a bond that’s hard to break,” Coats said, thinking of his own squad. He had heard from a few of them since the war ended, but the rest were MIA, presumed dead. Shepard seemed to sense where his thoughts were going, and she placed a reassuring hand over his, squeezing gently. She smiled when he reciprocated in kind.

“They’re like family to me,” she said, as the doors hissed open and she hobbled out. “I’m glad you got to meet them.”

Coats felt his chest tighten. Shaking his head, he steeled himself and cleared his throat softly.

“They certainly seem very protective of you,” he said, his voice as casual as he could make it. “Garrus even gave me the talk.”  
Shepard stopped.

“Turian high command be damned, I am going to kill Vakarian,” she muttered, her ears going red, as she started hobbling again at a faster pace.

“You’re upset?” Coats asked, struggling to keep up. Shepard paused and looked back at him, although he noticed she was focused on a point somewhere over his left shoulder.

“No, I just…,” she broke off, her cheeks a bright red now. “I asked him to stay out of it.”

Coats could feel the grin threatening to break free, but he fought to maintain his composure.

“So, you’d spoken to him about me?” he said, moving closer to her until they were only a couple of feet apart. He was impressed; he hadn’t thought she could get any redder but she was practically glowing.

“Would it help,” he continued, as he reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear, “if I very much wanted the answer to that question to be yes.”

He gently brought her head around to face him. Her green eyes met his, hope warring with uncertainty in their depths.

“Yes,” she whispered.

He took a tentative step closer, and pushed his fingers into her hair, bringing his lips down to meet hers. She opened her mouth almost immediately, sliding her tongue against his as she brought her hand to the nape of his neck and tugged him towards her. Her crutch fell to the floor with a clatter and she let out a soft groan, pulling back slightly.

“I, er… Would you like to walk me back to my room?” she asked, her flush softening slightly.

“Very much,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before bending to retrieve her crutch with difficulty. “Although I have to warn you, I don’t think I’m up to much.”

She let out a low chuckle. The promise in it sent a soft shiver down his spine.

“I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

 

It was another five minutes before they reached the door of Shepard’s room. When she pushed the door open she let out a loud snort of laughter.

“I don’t believe it!” she said, moving into the room and over to the window sill where a line of model ships stood. She reached out and touched one, running her finger reverently.

“What is it?” Coats asked in bewilderment, as he moved into the room behind, pushing the door shut with his crutch. She turned as the door clicked shut, a massive grin on her face.

“My model ship collection. They must have had it sent up from the Normandy.”

“It’s quite a collection,” Coats said in appreciation, moving to join her by the window. She wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned her head on his shoulder.

“It’s good to have them back,” she murmured. He pulled her to him, admiring the long line of spaceships.

“Sovereign?” he asked, slightly incredulous. He felt her shrug beneath him.

“Consider it a war trophy.”

He turned so that he was facing her and tucked his fingers beneath her chin, bringing her lips up to meet his. She smiled softly as they pulled apart.

“I believe I was going to ask if you wanted to bunk in here with me tonight, Coats.”

“All things considered, you should probably call me Nick, Shepard.”

“Jane,” Shepard replied, pulling him down for another kiss.

Their crutches clattered to the floor as he pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her waist and running his fingers across the seam where her top met her trousers.

“Are you sure?” he asked, breaking their kiss to look down at her again. She smirked at him.

“I’m sure. Not enough people know my first name.”

“That’s not what I…”

“I know,” she said pulling him down for another kiss. “I’m sure.”

“I’ve never really been the type for casual dalliances,” he said, breaking away again. “If we do this… I’m going to want it to continue. If that’s not what you want then we can…”

She kissed him again, firmly this time. “Nick, you are what I want.”

She hesitated before shuffling awkwardly over to the bed and sitting down on it. She patted the cover, indicating that he should join her. He did so, reaching a hand to her cheek so that he could kiss her again. She kissed his palm as she drew back this time, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“What is it?” he asked. She let out a soft sigh.

“I… I don’t want to hurt you. You… You’ve come to mean a lot to me in the past few months and as such… I’m going to have a conversation that I would not normally have until much later on,” she said, the flush returning to her cheeks. Coats frowned, not sure where she was going, but he moved his hand down to hers, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand reassuringly. She took a deep breath. 

“I can’t have kids,” she said. He raised his eyebrows in surprise; he hadn’t been sure what she was going to say, but this had most certainly not been it. She looked at him and gave him a small smile. “When I… When Cerberus brought me back. That was one of the things… One of the things that changed.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, sympathetically, his hand not leaving hers, his thumb still continuing its soft caress. “That must have been hard to come to terms with.”

She shrugged.

“I never really wanted them truth be told but… the lack of choice. That was tough.” She straightened and met his eye. “Anyway, given what you said about wanting… wanting this to continue I thought. Well I thought you ought to know the facts. Not that I’m assum-.”

He stopped her with a gentle kiss.

“Jane. You are the first person I have ever met who I have even dreamed about growing old with. Hell, for most of the past year or so I haven’t even expected to grow old. I don’t give a damn about whether or not my future has kids in it, but I most definitely want you in it.”

She looked at him in disbelief for a long moment before throwing her arms around him and kissing him soundly. She made to wrap her legs around him as he pushed her gently back onto the bed and let out a low hiss of pain.

He stopped looking down at her with a slight frown of concern, as he leaned on an elbow.

“Looks like I’m not the only one who might not be up to all that much,” he said. She raised an eyebrow at him, pulling him down on top of her as she slid a leg between his thighs.

“We’ll improvise.”

He hummed in agreement as she tugged his shirt from out of his trousers, her hands running up his sides underneath the fabric. She pushed impatiently at his arms until he raised them with a low chuckle helping her to get the shirt off, before following suit. He let out a soft hiss as he removed her top in turn and saw the myriad of scars, old and new that traced across her body. She flushed and made to cover herself but he stopped her, bending his head to kiss and lick those within his reach, while the others he traced gently with his fingers.

He bit back a satisfied smile as her skin raised in soft gooseflesh at his touch.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, coming back up to claim her lips and she wrapped herself around him, tangling her tongue with his before kissing her way down his jaw and along his collarbone. He let out a soft moan as she grazed her teeth along the seam of his neck and shoulder. She kissed him gently before moving her lips back to his, her hands travelling down to his belt.

Removing trousers was still difficult for both them, but they managed it with minimal fuss. Underwear quickly followed suit and then they were naked, pressed against each other as their mouths gently tasted and fingers softly explored.

She let out a gasp that went straight to his groin when his fingers first found her folds, already slick with arousal. She bit down gently on his neck as he rubbed an exploratory finger over her nub, and it was his turn to groan as she took his cock in her hand, her thumb circling the tip to moisten it slightly before tugging with a gentle but firm touch.

She brought her mouth back up to his in a bruising kiss, her hand not stopping its ministrations, as he moved his hand lower, circling her clit with his thumb as he used his fingers to probe her entrance. She ground herself onto his hand and he bucked into hers, matching her pace with his fingers as she tightened her grip, her hand moving along the length of his shaft, surely and confidently as her other tangled in his hair pulling him to her.

He felt her pace stutter as she approached her climax, her relentless stroking pausing for just a moment. She moved her hand down to join his, but then he felt her firm grasp return to his cock, her hand slick with her natural lubrication. He could feel his own peak approaching and he struggled to maintain his rhythm as she ground down onto him. A moment later she let out a soft gasp, burying her face in his neck as she shuddered her completion, her hand not slowing until he stiffened beside her, his own climax rushing over him as he spilled onto her stomach.

She released her grasp and linked her fingers with his as she pulled him down for a kiss.

“I told you we’d figure something out,” she said. She leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his ear so he could feel her warm breath as she added, “Although I would very much like to do that properly once we’re fully healed.”

He suppressed a shiver that had absolutely nothing to do with the cold, and pulled her closer to him.

“I would very much like that as well.”

He glanced down ruefully at the mess between them. She followed his gaze.

“Thank God these rooms are en suite,” she murmured. She looked back up at him, her eyes twinkling. “Help me into the shower?”

He let out a laugh. “Only if you help me too.”

 

Coats struggled to think of a time in his life when he had been as content as he had been over the past four weeks, and he knew exactly who he could attribute it to. They were both still on the road to recovery, but it had become increasingly obvious that he, at least, would not be able to undertake active duty again. Hackett had offered him a training position at Alliance HQ and he had accepted it.

He felt a sharp pain in his chest as he thought of leaving Jane. Hackett wanted her back out on the Normandy and Coats knew where her heart belonged. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her how he felt; he wouldn’t be responsible for her declining what she wanted most. She had been locked in conference with Hackett for the past two hours, and he was pretty certain he knew what they were discussing.

There was a gentle knock on the door and he turned. She stuck her head around the door with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes and let herself in, closing the door quietly and leaning her crutch against the wall, next to his.

“Finished with Hackett?” he asked, with more cheer than he felt. She nodded and sat down on the bed. He hesitated only a moment before joining her.

“He’s promoting me to Captain. The docs say it will still be another few months before I’m fit for active duty, but he’d like me to oversee the Normandy refurb in the meantime.” She was fiddling with her nails, a sure sign she was anxious, and Coats felt his heart shatter. He reached out to take her hand in his.

“That doesn’t mean-.”

“I told him Kaidan would be a better choice,” she said, looking up to meet his gaze, her eyes playing uncertainly over his. Coats caught his breath, unsure what she was saying. “I… I requested a posting at Alliance HQ.”

He swallowed hard against the sudden lump in his throat.

“But the Normandy…”

“The Normandy was always about the people. Liara is rebuilding Thessia, Tali and Garrus are splitting their time between Palaven and rebuilding the Quarian homeworld without the Geth. James and Steve are both working at the training academy now anyway… Really it’s just Kaidan and Joker left. And I… I don’t want that life anymore.”

Coats didn’t know what to say.

“It took some convincing, but Hackett agreed. Said in that case, they needed a new Vice Admiral since mum is taking Anderson’s old role. There’ll probably be some hoops to jump through but...”

“So you’re…”

“I’m staying with you, if you’ll have me,” she asked, a slight smile masking her nerves. Coats shook his head and placed his hands on either side of her face, kissing her firmly before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug.

“I love you so much,” he whispered into her ear, tears pricking his eyes. She pulled back and looked at him, a wide grin on her face.

“You’ve never told me that before,” she said. Coats flushed.

“I didn’t want to influence your decision.”

“Idiot,” she said affectionately, kissing him soundly. “I love you too.”

He pushed her gently back onto the bed, running his hand up her side and over her breast as his tongue tangled with hers. Behind him, he heard the thud of her boots hitting the floor as she kicked them off. She sat up as he broke away to deal with his own boots, moving to straddle him as soon as they hit the floor.

“Your hip-“ he began. She let out a low chuckle.

“I forgot to tell you the other good news. The docs may not have cleared me for active duty, but they have cleared me for certain… recreational activities.”

He let out a low growl and rolled them so that she hit the mattress, looking up at him with laughter in her eyes.

“That is the second best news I’ve heard today,” he said. She let out a giggle as he started to peel down her trousers, helping to remove her shirt, before starting on his clothes. When they were both naked, he pushed her back down on the bed.

“There is something I have wanted to do for a very long time now,” he said. He climbed over her, the length of his body pressed against hers as he kissed her soundly before trailing his mouth down her neck, alternating kisses, licks and nips as she hissed in frustration. His hands followed at her sides, as his mouth continued to make its way down her body, taking in one nipple and then the other as she mewled softly.

When he reached her pelvis he stopped, looking up at her for permission before gently parting her thighs. She let out a soft whoosh of air as his breath brushed her moist heat, before he pressed a soft kiss to the inside of her thigh, his hands trailing down the outside of her leg as he gently moved down to her ankle and then back up the other side.

Coats took a deep breath, savouring her musk before spreading her folds and taking his first taste. She let out a soft cry, her hips rising as he lapped the length of her slit before settling into a circular pattern around her clit.

He ran his hands up her sides, before grasping her hips and pulling her into his mouth as she ground herself against him, her hips rocking in time with her clenching and unclenching hands as he drove her closer and closer to her peak.

His tongue circled relentlessly as he released one hand to bring an exploratory finger to her entrance. She bucked as he pushed into her, letting out a soft moan that travelled straight to his groin. Withdrawing it slowly he increased the pressure on his tongue as he added a second finger to her tight channel, plunging them into her in time with her rocking until her thighs clenched around him and he let out a soft hiss, her muscles shaking.

Sitting back smugly, he wiped his mouth with his hand before crawling back up her body to reclaim her lips. She pulled him to her and kissed him thoroughly, her tongue tangling with his as she wrapped a leg around his hip and gently rolled them until he was on his back.

He could feel the wet heat of her against his length as she placed her knees on either side of his hips. She pressed herself down until he could feel her slick folds against him and he groaned as she rocked her hips, rubbing herself along his shift. She let out a soft hiss, her eyes fluttering closed as he brushed against her sensitive nub.

Stretching she reached up past him and ferreted through the top drawer of his cabinet to find the condoms she knew he had stashed there. She opened the packet smoothly and he let out a soft moan as she rolled it down with a practiced hand.

Placing one hand on his chest, and grasping him with the other, she gently guided him to her entrance. His breath caught as she sank herself down to the hilt and she closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of being completely filled.

Green eyes found his and she smiled wickedly, removing her hands from his chest to lace her fingers with his. She slowly lowered her body, as she stretched upwards until his hands were pinned beneath hers above her head and her body was flush against his. She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips before moving her hips in a gentle rhythm that had him hissing in frustration and her letting out a soft groan every time she brushed against his pubic bone just right.

He raised his hips to meet her and she let out a soft cry at the added pressure. Increasing her pace slightly she lowered her lips to his, before trailing down to his neck as he felt the tension build within him. Her movements became less fluid and she stuttered, burying her head in his shoulder with a quiet moan as she found release. She squeezed her walls around him and he gasped, his orgasm taking him by surprise and ripping a groan from his throat as it shuddered through him. Disentangling his hands and wrapping his arms around her, he held her tight as their breathing slowed.

She lifted her head with a smile and kissed him deeply before gently pushing herself up. She held onto the base of the condom as she carefully extricated herself from him, giving him another peck on the lips before disappearing into the bathroom as he cleaned himself up.

By the time she returned he was under the covers, and he pulled them back in invitation. With a smile, she carefully lowered herself onto the bed and allowed him to tug her into his arms. Settling her head on his chest she let out a small contented sigh, and Coats looked down at her. Pressing a gentle kiss against her brow he found himself thinking that the future could be very bright indeed.


End file.
